The Seven Wonders of Hojancha

QTRAVEL by Roberto Acuña Ávalos, Vozdeguanacaste – When people talk about Hojancha, they rarely think of a perfect vacation destination or a place to escape from the world. Marketing is definitely not the canton’s strong point since it has unimaginable treasures but hasn’t been capable of exploiting the wonders of the place.

In order for Hojancha to be associated with more than just being a clean, safe and quiet town, The Voice of Guanacaste recommends seven sites that could compete on an international level and could change people’s perception of the canton.

Photo by Pinar Istek

1. Puerto Carrillo: With white sand and turquoise water, Puerto Carrillo’s beach is one of the best beaches in Guanacaste, with the added blessing that there are palm trees along the coastline with tables and seats for tourists to have a place to sit to enjoy the beauty of the beach and ocean.

2. Matambu Reserve: The Chorotega indigenous population has quality handicrafts, you can taste delicious chicheme (a fermented corn drink) and enjoy natural beauty like waterfalls and hiking trails in the mountains.

3. Hojancha Botanical Garden: Located behind the childcare network facilities, the Garden it has trails that show off the garden’s beauty to casual walkers. It is perfect for enjoying fresh air in the middle of town. You can see an impressive number and variety of native plants there.

4. The Swimming Hole in Santa Marta: It is, without a doubt, one of the largest swimming holes in the canton. There is not a person in Hojancha who has not dived into this pool, which is extremely deep and is one of the few remaining in Guanacaste.

5. Monte Alto Reserve: From there, you can experience the pleasure of being among the beautiful mountains of the community of Pilangosta. There is lodging with trails, a conference hall and a dining room. Annually, more than 1,800 people visit it.

6. Las Pilas of Pilangosta: If you want to go for a great swim, the community of Pilangosta offers the wonderful pilas (literally batteries), which is a kind of river that is narrow and shaped like batteries, hence the name of the community.

7. Salto del Calvo Waterfall: This is the highest waterfall in Central America, in San Isidro of Hojancha, 14 kilometers (9 miles) south of the canton’s town center. In the distance, we can see the immensity of Salto del Calvo, two impressive waterfalls that are 175 meters (575 feet) apart. The waterfalls are 350 and 300 meters (1150 and 985 feet) high, according to a surveyor who measured them in 2004. The site can be visited on horseback or on foot.

Photo by Pinar Istek

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